Home to the world-famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park are also found in this region.
Read MoreFeatures authentic safari tours in the less crowded parks including; Nyerere National Park (Selous), Mikumi, Udzungwa, and Ruaha National Park.
Read MoreHome to chimpanzee families which are found in Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains. This region embraces the parks along Lake Tanganyika.
Read MoreTanzania is a true wilderness – over thirty percent of the country is protected as parks and reserves. It is blessed with the winning combination of both superb big game and stunning tropical beaches. Very few destinations in Africa can match the diversity of animals, cultures, and landscapes.
Tanzania is the land of superlatives – it has the deepest, the highest, the largest, and the oldest. It is the home of the three largest lakes in Africa, Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika (the second deepest lake in the world), and Lake Nyasa. It is the home of Kilimanjaro Mountain, the highest free-standing mountain on the planet, and the highest in Africa at 5895m. Dating back millions of years, Olduvai Gorge in Ngorongoro Conversation Area has yielded hundreds of fossils, stone tools, and archaeological discoveries that have led people to believe humans evolved in Africa.
Tanzania is the country in Africa where you can witness the Big Five and Wildebeest Migrations, experience hiking to the top of the highest mountain in Africa-Mount Kilimanjaro, and explore the natural beauty of world heritage sites- Serengeti, Selous, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and stunning beaches of Zanzibar. Equally remote western national parks – Gombe Stream and the Mahale Mountains are best known for chimpanzee life.
Undoubtedly, Tanzania’s northern safari circuit is the most celebrated safari area in Africa. The most popular areas include the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire, Lake Manyara National Park, Mount Meru, and its neighboring “big brother”, the tallest, free-standing mountain in Africa, the majestic snow-capped Kilimanjaro.
Unlike the North of Tanzania, the Southern part of the country offers some beautiful off-the-beaten-track safari experiences. Of the 20 national parks in Tanzania, five are located in the south – Nyerere, Mikumi, Ruaha, Udzungwa, and Kutulo which form the Southern Circuit. Huge craters and volcanoes testify to the tectonic forces that have shaped the landscape over millions of years.
The Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains National Park are both located on the western circuit and can only be reached by boat from Kigoma. This also applies to Rubondo National Park, a mysterious, uninhabited island in the middle of Lake Victoria. An archaic Katavi National Park is also located here.
Tanzania’s eastern circuit includes Mkomazi and Sadaani National Park. The latter is the only park in which the beach meets the bush. It is the only wildlife sanctuary in East Africa with a beachfront on the Indian Ocean, and it possesses a beautiful tropical coastline. Mkomazi on the other hand is a vital refuge for two highly endangered species, the black rhino and African wild dog.
Zanzibar and Pemba Islands just off Tanzania’s coast offer incredible beach destinations from where you can relax after your safari. Zanzibar is booming as a destination, with backpackers and luxury beach vacationers. As a result, there are many fantastic Boutique hotels to choose from. Whether for honeymoon, family vacation, or relaxation after the safari there are many activities for every traveler.
Mafia Island lies 80 miles (130 km) southeast of Dar-es-Salaam and opposite the mouth of the Rufiji River. Diving on Mafia Island is exceptional with the mighty whale sharks that are found from October to March every year.
Main Entry Hub: Arusha (Kilimanjaro International Airport)
The main gateway to this circuit is the city of Arusha, which is served by Kilimanjaro International Airport – the most popular route comprising the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, and Kilimanjaro.
Main Entry Hub: Dar es Salaam (Julius Nyerere International Airport)
To get to the southern safari circuit, the main gateway is Dar es Salaam, a major city and commercial port in Tanzania that caters to numerous direct and indirect international flights as well as transfers to Zanzibar. This circuit comprises Nyerere National Park (Selous), Mikumi, Saadani, and Ruaha National Park. It is also possible to land in Zanzibar and take a domestic flight to northern and southern parks.
Depending on your plan, the main gateways into the western safari circuit are Tanzania’s major international hubs: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Arusha or Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam.
Most attractions are only accessible by either charter planes, a boat ride, or a train. This circuit comprises Gombe Stream National Park, Mahale Mountains National Park, and Katavi National Park.
Tanzania’s eastern circuit includes Mkomazi and Sadaani National Park. The latter is the only park in which the beach meets the bush. It is the only wildlife sanctuary in East Africa with a beachfront on the Indian Ocean, and it possesses a beautiful tropical coastline. Mkomazi on the other hand is a vital refuge for two highly endangered species, the black rhino and African wild dog.
Read about the when to travel and take a look at our proposed itineraries.
Tanzania’s northern circuit is a famous safari destination receiving a lot of tourists than the other circuits. It constitutes the attractions of Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Arusha National Park, Oldupai Gorge, Mount Meru, and its big brother the snow-capped, the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro.
The southern circuit is a wonderful destination to visit with some of the most remarkable sights in Africa. It is one of the best regions for sightings of rare African wild dogs. Nyerere National Park formerly known as Selous is well worth a visit. Apart from game drives, there are additional activities to do like a boat and a walking safari.
The northern and southern circuits each provide unique and distinct experiences. Between these two destinations, the northern circuit offers more classic safari options that the southern circuit which is famed for more off-the-beaten-track experiences in a truly wild setting.
While the northern circuit is very famous for the Great Wildebeest Migration that happens every single year in Serengeti National Park the southern circuit does not. The northern circuit is also popular for the ‘Big Five’ animals that including the lion, rhino, elephant, leopard, and the African buffalo.
The southern parks have more advantages of offering more tourist activities than the northern circuit considering that the private reserves and game parks there are less restricted as it is in the north.
Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve), Mikumi, Ruaha, and Udzungwa National Park are accessible by road from Dar es Salaam. Alternatively, there are daily scheduled light aircraft flights from Dar es Salaam, which makes it very easy to arrange safaris of any duration in these parks and also to combine them with a beach holiday on either the mainland coast or the Island of Zanzibar.
The west of Tanzania is more remote, both geographically and logistically – there are flights only twice a week from Arusha in the north. Parks here include Gombe, Mahale, and Katavi. Gombe and Mahale can also be reached from Kigoma by speedboat. Both parks can be accessible from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma by daily flights with Air Tanzania. Katavi is technically accessible by road, but it’s a long, rough ride and cannot be recommended to all but the hardiest of adventurers.
The cheapest way to get to Mafia Island from Nyerere National Park formerly known as Selous Game Reserve is by ferry departing from Nyamisati Ferry Terminal in Ikwiriri, Rufiji. The adventurous transfer takes about 4 hours to reach Mafia.
Josy2132024-12-04Verified Perfect safari tour company, great organization and fantastic guides!! This is the best tour ever!!! 3 days 2 nights, flying in from Zanzibar to Nyerere National Park. This was perfectly planned and our guide was so great at finding all the animals and also explaining so much about each one. We also visited a Maasai village where they explained how they live, all their customs and culture, so interesting!! We also had a river tour, riding right next to the hippos! Also our guide did a wonderful bush walk with us. Can really highly recommend this company and tour!!! Mike J2024-10-06Verified Liubov and Mike We had the best time — the whole tour ran like clockwork with amazing service from Peter, Germano, Mush and team who really went the extra mile to ensure we got the most out of everything. We learnt so much about this part of the world in the most peaceful, secluded and relaxed atmosphere. The tour really delivered everything that it said it would and exceeded our expectations throughout. glemma19742024-09-27Verified Perfect Trip of a Lifetime We booked a 3 day 2 night Safari with African Vista Safaris. We booked this through Germano who answered all of my many questions and was very responsive. The price we paid was a good price in comparison with other safaris and we paid a 30% deposit. This included: 1. Transport from hotel in Zanzibar to Zanzibar airport. Prompt and on time. 2. Flight from Zanzibar to Mtmere airstrip at 0700 (20kg allowance per person) 3. Transport to Nyerere Tented Camp (5 star Trip Advisor). Large restaurant / bar area where you are greeted with a welcome drink and refreshing towels. Wi fi in this area. 4. Breakfast on arrival 5. Full day safari in Nyerere National Park where we saw Lions, Elephants, Giraffes, Hippos,Antelope, Baboons, Crocodiles and much much more. This included a packed lunch provided by the hotel. 6. Returned to Lodge about 7pm for dinner. Drinks well priced $4 for a large Kilimanjaro lager and $3 for Serengeti lager. 7. Overnight accommodation in large private lodge with toilet, sink and shower and fan. Plenty of running water on tap. Amazing to have such high quality accommodation. Bed was very comfy and lovely to listen to sounds of nature on a night with breeze blowing through the tent / lodge. Housekeeping cleaned to high standard each day. 8. Breakfast in the morning consisting of fruit, choice of eggs, toast, pancakes, sausage cooked to order. Also tea and coffee and water. 9. At around 0900 set off to do a tour of the local village which included a tour of the local school. Amazing insight into the local culture. All the children and locals very friendly greeting you with a Jambo. We bought some food from street vendors that locals were buying from. It was lovely and very cheap and $1 was more than enough. Highly recommend you do this. 10. We then went to local Masai village and got a talk in the Masai house about their culture. This was great and we even took part in a Masai dance and saw them making fire with just wood. Very friendly. 11. Returned to camp for lunch and then a few hours chilling. 12. At 4pm we then went on a river safari where we saw lots of birds, Hippos and crocodiles. We then stopped at a sandbank so we could watch sunset. Great experience. 13. Returned to camp about 7pm for dinner and bed. 14. Up at 06:15 for coffee on our last day and then a walking safari directly from the Lodge. We were guided by the local guide, and we were protected by two Masai. We had just got out of the Lodge and we saw a pack of wild dogs (rare) who were eating an Impala. We also saw a water buffalo and Zebra very near to the Lodge. Our guide also told us about the many uses of local nature products in medicines. Very interesting. We are now sat waiting for our return flight to Zanzibar which leaves after lunch. The price also includes the return taxi journey to our hotel in Jambiani. We are sat in the decking at the front of the lodge and have just watched some Baboons go past the lodge. Bottled water was included throughout the stay including on Safaris. The Nyerere Tented Lodge is amazing. The staff are very friendly and the food is good. We even ended up playing Connect 4 with the staff one night who had never played this before. Masai also work at the lodge and they work as protection and like to share stories with you around the campfire ‘Masai Boma’. It is so peaceful and you can watch the birds and many squirrels, Geckos and butterflies around the Lodge. You can sometimes hear the sound of Hyenas on a night. Our guide ‘Mushi’ was amazing and very informative. He took us on most of our tours, and when we saw our first elephant it had a mud bath and came right up to the truck. His knowledge and English was amazing. When we were researching Safaris there were so many different company’s and national parks to consider. It can be a little confusing. However, I would highly recommend African Vista Safari and Germano and staying at the Nyerere Tented Camp. You can book with them with confidence. Thank you / Asante to Germano , Mushi, the Masai and all of the many staff for making our stay such an unforgettable experience and one that we will remember for the rest of our lives. Charlotte2024-08-08Verified We had a great time! We booked a safari tour of 3 days/2 nights with Germanus. The tour included afternoon boat ride, full day game drive, and morning walking safari. We loved everything about this trip. The accommodation in the luxury tents was great and the guides were excellent. The communication with Germanus was good and he helped us with everything. The drive from and to Dar was very comfortable. Our guide of the safari, Wilhelimu, had a lot of knowledge and made sure we had a great time. On the bush safari he also gave very good info. The boat tour with Abel was also very good arranged. Yaniv M2024-08-08Verified Great safari experience Great safari experienceWe booked a safari tour of 3 days/2 nights .The tour included afternoon boat ride. Full day game drive, and morning walking safari.Everything was excellent and well arranged. From the safari guides to the great accommodation. Booking was smooth and easy. The owner Germanus was very kind and helpful. The accommodation arranged was beautiful. The guide of the day safari, Wilhelimu mushi was fantastic, with incredible knowledge. We also enjoyed a lot with Abel, the guide of the boat safari. Laura E2024-08-05Verified Amazing Tour Company! 5 Star ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We booked our safari at Nyerere National Park Tanzania with African Vista and they were incredible. I dealt with Germano when booking and he was fantastic and the communication was excellent. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and friendly. The entire tour was perfect. From the pick up at our hotel to the transfer from the plane to our tented accommodation I can’t fault them, it was oganised so well, I felt safe and assured I was in the right hands at all times. Would book with this company again if I was coming back. It was a dream come true!! Ramadhani S2024-06-24Verified 5 days Amazing Safari in Mikumi and Selous This was actually my first experience with African Vista, and it was just as amazing! The experience was perfect - the process was seamless, from organizing the trip at home and being there. The accommodations both in Mikumi and Selous were great, and our guide Richard was quite the safari expert! I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for an amazing safari experience and will be passing them along to any family member or friend who wants to do a future Tanzanian safari! terrycharlie642019-11-27Verified Arusha Safari Really good safari, with a lovely guide. Really well organized, even though I left it to the Last minute, they still managed to get me on the tour. Enjoyed every minute and we got to see some great wildlife! Germano was really helpful too.Highly recommend!Tripadvisor rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 25 reviews